Jitters
by mikipau
Summary: Mary Margaret has something to ask Ruby. Ruby/Mary Margaret fluff
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Jitters

**Author: **mikipau

**Rating:** K+

**Fandom: **Once Upon A Time

**Pairing:** Ruby/Mary Margaret

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Once Upon A Time or the characters there within, I'm just borrowing them from time to time with a promise to return them unharmed and hopefully a little bit happier.

**Summary: **Mary Margaret has something to ask Ruby. Ruby/Mary Margaret fluff

* * *

Mary Margaret looked up from the paper, sipping her coffee slowly and glancing towards the bar. Ruby was behind it, serving Leroy a hearty breakfast. The younger woman was smiling her usual infectious smile and once in a while she'd giggle at the easy banter with the customers. The schoolteacher looked back down at the paper, trying to muster the courage she needed to carry out what she'd come here to do this morning.

Mary Margaret had always liked Ruby, but she'd also been slightly intimidated by her. The bold colours, the expressive make-up, the clothes, or more correctly, the lack of clothes. In so many ways she was the total opposite of Mary Margaret and even though they didn't spend more than the occasional girls-night-out together, besides her own visits to Granny's, the schoolteacher considered the younger woman her friend.

After the fallout with her grandmother Ruby had spent the night at Mary Margaret's place. The young, almost timid woman, who'd sat in the sofa next to Emma that night, while Mary Margaret had made them cocoa, had been an eyeopener for the schoolteacher. She was used to seeing the friendly, headstrong and confident Ruby at the diner and the sultry, easygoing Ruby on their nights out partying, but she'd never really seen the humble woman beneath all that bravado.

A slightly more decent sense of dress had been applied since Ruby had gone back to work at the diner. The flirty way that somehow was part of the essence of Ruby hadn't changed, and the schoolteacher thought the more modest dress only added to the long haired woman's attractiveness. Mary Margaret found that as more skin had been covered up she felt more relaxed around the younger woman as she didn't have to keep reminding herself to keep eye contact, or make efforts to not be distracted by bare thighs, or attempt to hide the heat steadily creeping up from her chest to her cheeks.

"M&M, d'you want a refill?"

Mary Margaret jumped in her seat. Ruby had given her the nickname after a long night at the bar when she'd eaten more peanuts than was good for her. She'd been sad and lonely after breaking it off with David. Emma was working late nights, trying to catch some teenagers as their apple-stealing apparently made Regina go rabid. The Mayor was, as usual, taking her displeasure out on the Sheriff and if Emma ever wanted to spend time with her son again she'd better get his other mother calmed down - quickly. Though Mary Margaret suspected the real drive behind the overtime was her blonde roommate's desire to get back into Regina's bedroom, as the door seemed to have slammed in her face and left her standing wanting on the other side.

Mary Margaret's breakup with David had been heartbreaking, yet she'd known it was the best thing to do. They had trust issues, David had lied to her and in the end she'd found his indecisiveness grating. Now, after two tumultuous months, she felt like she'd made the right decision. Her heart was still bruised, but it beat a steady rhythm and she'd noticed it sped up in the company of a certain person - Ruby. Her eyes moved from tight red trousers up to amused hazel eyes.

"Huh?"

"I asked if you wanted a refill?" Ruby stood before her, holding a coffeepot and gesturing towards the empty cup in Mary Margaret's hands.

"Oh," she blushed and looked down into her cup. She didn't really want any more coffee, the amount she'd already drunk was burning a hole through her stomach, but staying in the diner without ordering something else would seem weird. "I'm fine thanks," she closed her eyes, disappointed and chastising herself for being the biggest coward in Storybrooke. Gathering her things in preparation to leave, she was stopped by a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Ruby's eyebrows were drawn together, a worried look on her face. "You seem both dazed and jittery at the same time."

"I-I-I'm fine." She tried smiling, but couldn't even meet Ruby's inquisitive gaze.

"No, you're obviously not. Things are slow here, I'm taking a break, let's go out back to talk."

Mary Margaret had no time to protest as an arm was placed around her shoulders, steering her through the diner to the back entrance and out into the alley. A few chairs were placed just outside the door and she was seated face to face with Ruby - the opportunity she'd been looking for now presented to her on a silver platter. She knew this was her chance to say what she'd been planning to all morning, before her courage had run away from her and the morose and depressed feelings had started closing in. She tried to gather her thoughts, still not meeting Ruby's eyes, instead looking down at her somewhat tattered shoes. She made a mental note to get a new pair to replace these ones when her next paycheck arrived.

"Mary Margaret, tell me what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Ruby. It's... Ah... I have something I've been meaning to talk to you about but..." She trailed off, not really knowing what words to use to convey the feeling hammering in her chest.

"But?" The word was spoken softly, making Mary Margaret shift her eyes up and into caring hazel ones.

"But I don't know how."

Warm hands wrapped themselves around hers, pressing encouragingly. "I usually just jump right in. Sink or float." Ruby grinned. "You should try it."

Mary Margaret closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then she did something she hadn't thought herself capable of, and it definitely wasn't what she had planned - she kissed Ruby.

The kiss was soft, the scarlet lips pressed against her own tasted sweet and the long hair running through her fingers were like silk. When Ruby's hands came up to caress her face Mary Margaret forgot how to breathe. She felt the nervous tenseness in her muscles give way and a warm feeling spread throughout her body as the kiss, instead of ending, turned deeper and more intimate.

They had to break for air, breaths ghosting over lips and foreheads resting against each other. Ruby giggled - a happy sound that made tingles run down Mary Margaret's spine. A wide grin made it's way onto her face and her heart beat faster than she could ever remember it doing.

"Wow," she whispered, shyly looking into the glittering eyes so close to her own.

"Was this what you wanted to talk about?" Ruby's voice was husky, sending another thrill down Mary Margaret's back. The amused look on the younger woman's face dispersed the sexual tension considerably, replacing it with a glowing happiness in Mary Margaret's chest.

"Yes, or I mean no. I mean..." She let out an embarrassed giggle. "I meant to ask you if you could possibly, maybe, consider going out on a date with me. Sometime."

"Yes!" Ruby jumped up and down.

"Yes?"

"Yes! You silly woman. Yes, I want to go on a date with you! I've been trying to get your attention for months now, but I didn't think you got the hints, or maybe that you ignored them because you weren't interested."

Mary Margaret was gobsmacked. "You've been trying to...?" Her mouth fell open, leaving her looking like a fish on land, gasping for air. "I didn't realize. I feel like such a fool." She felt her cheeks turn scarlet.

"Don't," Ruby leaned in to place a kiss on her lips, unlike the passionate ones they'd shared minutes before this kiss was gentle, reassuring. "I know I can be a bit over the top with the flirting, and you probably just thought I was being a tease or... well... something." She shrugged. "Just know that I really, really, want this." She gestured with her hand between them, indicating she meant the two of them, together.

They fell silent, gazing at each other, silly smiles on their faces. A car honked, breaking the moment and Ruby quickly looked at her watch.

"I'm sorry, but I need to get back to work." She looked regretfully at Mary Margaret.

"It's okay. I understand."

Ruby stood up, turning towards the door. Mary Margaret reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers and holding the other woman back, turning her around with a gentle tug. "Friday at 7? For the date I mean."

Ruby smiled. "Friday at 7 is perfect."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **I hadn't intended to write more on this story, but this new part came out of nowhere and since it's now written I'm posting it.

* * *

Mary Margaret sighed, biting her lip and trying her best to keep the tears at bay. Everything that could have gone wrong, had gone wrong. She'd spent a couple of days worrying about how to make her date with Ruby extra special. By Wednesday she'd come up with, what she thought, a good idea and she'd planned everything meticulously.

Since Storybrooke was a small town it was hard to keep things private and even though she didn't want to keep her date with Ruby a secret, she still wished for them to have some time alone, just the two of them, without interruptions. A picnic had been the perfect solution. She would take Ruby someplace nice and quiet. Someplace beautiful and romantic. The picnic-basket would hold a variety of delicious treats and she'd decided to splurge on a really good bottle of wine. The weather forecast showed sun Friday to Sunday so she felt confident that this would be the perfect first date - good food, beautiful nature, wonderful weather and Ruby.

She'd instructed her date to wear something comfortable, but not let on what they would do or where they would go. Her plan had been to surprise the other woman, keep her in suspense until they reached their destination. They'd eat, talk, enjoy each other's company and, fondly remembering when she'd asked Ruby out, Mary Margaret wished they'd kiss. Later, as dusk descended, they would be wrapped in warm blankets, drink hot cocoa from her thermos and watch the fireflies put on a magical light show.

Now Friday had arrived and her plans were all down the drain, literally. It was raining. Not a gentle pitter-patter, but a raging monsoon. The clearing in the forest, close to the babbling creek, was completely out of the question. The teacher stood staring at her own front door, wishing for a miracle she knew wouldn't come true. She'd tried calling the diner, one of the waitresses had answered, telling her that Ruby had already left. Another call and she found out that the other woman had her phone turned off, or maybe the battery had gone dead, she didn't know which.

A sharp knock made her jump and she looked with despair at the picnic-basket and checkered blankets on the kitchen table before she slowly unlocked the door. Ruby was standing in front of her, dressed in tight black jeans and a very flattering red top. In her hand was a soaked coat and she smiled sheepishly as she looked at the water dripping from the coat into a puddle on the floor. It was all a little too much for Mary Margaret who couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

"Oh, honey! What's wrong? Has something happened?" Ruby stepped quickly through the doorway, dropping her coat onto the floor and reaching for Mary Margaret, who let herself be hugged tightly by the other woman. The tears continued to fall and a sob escaped her lips. Just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, her date being ruined and she making a complete fool out of herself, the power went out.

The silence of her apartment, the appliances now turned off, and the gloom enveloping them made Mary Margaret cry even harder. Ruby placed a hand on her back, leading the distraught woman towards the sofa. She knelt in front of Mary Margaret, a worried look on her face.

"Honey. Tell me what's wrong. I want to help, to make everything better, but I can't unless you tell me what's made you so upset."

Mary Margaret tried her best to calm down, the soft rubbing of thumbs on the inside of her knees made her feel somewhat grounded and she stopped sobbing.

"I wanted tonight to be perfect. Now... now... now everything is ruined." She bit her lip, holding in another convulsive gasp as tears continued to run down her cheeks.

"Hey, nothing's ruined. We're here, together, aren't we?" Ruby reached up to gently wipe the tears from Mary Margaret's face. The gesture elicited a weak smile from the crying woman.

"That's it, I've missed your beautiful smile. No more tears, ok? Why don't you tell me what you had planned and I'll see what I can do to fix whatever it is you feel is ruined."

Mary Margaret stuttered out her plans. She told Ruby all about the clearing in the forest, the creek, the picnic and the fireflies. By the time she'd gotten to the end of her woes she'd calmed down considerably.

"Is that all?" Ruby's voice wasn't belittling, instead it was soothing and her lips turned up into one of her customary grins. "There's an easy fix for all of this. We can have the picnic here - in your apartment! Just put the blankets on the floor for us to sit on and since the power's out we can light candles and maybe a fire in the fireplace."

So they did. The fire was lit, candles burned all around them, their flames creating just as a romantic setting as the fireflies would have. Mary Margaret's spirit was lifted and she was smiling widely as they sat cross-legged on the floor, eating and drinking, enjoying the sound of the rain against the windows and the rumbling of distant thunder. When the wine bottle was empty, they snuggled, wrapped in blankets, cups of hot cocoa in their hands. Mary Margaret didn't want the night to end and neither did Ruby.

Drinks were soon forgotten as they started to kiss and when night turned into early morning the two of them nestled into the warmth of the blankets, drowsy and happy. Ruby wrapped her arm around Mary Margaret's waist, kissed the back of her neck and pressed her own body as close to the other woman as she could. Soon they were both asleep, neither one noticing when the power was restored or when the rain stopped falling.


	3. Chapter 3

It was early evening, a couple of weeks after the ruined date which Mary Margaret now fondly remembered as a great success. They'd woken up together, legs tangled and arms holding each other. During the night one of Ruby's hands had ended up just below the swell of Mary Margaret's left breast and the warmth of the close contact and the gesture itself had made Mary Margaret snuggle even closer. They fitted together perfectly and she remembered thinking that, even though they were on the floor, she could gladly wake up just like this each and every morning from now on. From the soft kisses placed on her shoulder she was sure Ruby wouldn't contest that arrangement either.

Sitting at Granny's, drinking a cup of cocoa while waiting for Ruby's shift to end, she felt her cheeks and ears grow warm as she thought back to that morning. Their hugs and kisses had taken a completely new direction as their hearts hammered wildly in their chests. Mary Margaret felt a shiver of pleasure run through her body at the memory of Ruby's eyes - pupils dilated, gaze darkened with passion - a passion directed at her, and her alone. She looked around the half-empty diner, hoping no one had noticed her distraction, or her blush. Her eyes met the hazel ones she now couldn't get enough of and Ruby gave her a knowing look, red lips turned upwards into a cheeky grin. She moved to stand beside Mary Margaret.

"I don't know what you were just thinking, but by the looks of it I think I want you to tell me." Ruby leaned in closer, reaching from behind Mary Margaret to grab the empty plate left by another customer - the move was completely unnecessary but put her close enough to whisper in the blushing woman's ear. "Later, tonight, in bed."

Mary Margaret swallowed her mouthful of cocoa, the grip on her cup turning painful as she felt the warmth in her face intensify. Ruby chuckled before stepping back, walking towards the kitchen with the dishes she'd gathered.

...

The evening air was chilly and Ruby wasn't wearing much to protect herself from the cold. Mary Margaret huddled closer to the younger woman, sharing her warmth with her. Autumn had arrived, seemingly out of nowhere, and the surprisingly low temperature turned their breaths into misty clouds. As they made their way across the street Ruby started to shiver. Mary Margaret reached for the younger woman's hand, enfolding it in her own, earning a kiss on the cheek from the freezing woman.

"Your hands are always warm."

Mary Margaret smiled. It was true - she rarely had cold hands, or feet for that matter. During the nights they'd spent together Ruby had searched her out in her sleep, snuggled close to her, sighing contentedly as the heat from her body seeped into her own.

They sped up, wanting to get out of the cold as soon as possible. They'd had a couple of hectic days. Last Friday night found them out dancing with Ashley and Emma. Saturday had been spent in bed until Regina had called to yell at Mary Margaret for letting Emma get drunker than drunk. Sunday Ruby had an early shift - Mary Margaret had sat at the diner, a good book to keep her company during the more hectic hours of Ruby's workday. Monday had been total chaos for the teacher as two of the children in her class had gotten into a fight and the subsequent discussions with the parents and the principal had taken a lot of energy out of her. One of the waitresses had come down with the flu and so Ruby had had to pull doubles at the diner. Now, Thursday evening, they both wished for a quiet night at home getting a chance to rewind and catch up on things.

A quick dinner and then Mary Margaret had papers to grade and Ruby had some paperwork to deal with as well. She'd taken over most of the responsibility for the bookkeeping and she felt good about it, it had given her some confidence in her own ability to eventually be the one to run Granny's.

They sat at the kitchen table, books, papers and pens strewn across the surface between them. Mary Margaret sighed as she stretched her arms up above her head, a vertebrae in her back popped loudly, making her moan in relief. Ruby shifted in her chair, running a foot up along the inside of Mary Margaret's leg.

"Are you okay?"

"Tired." Mary Margaret wrapped her hand around the foot on her thigh, massaging gently. They had not been together for long, and the intimacy was still new, yet it felt so very familiar and right. She'd picked up on a few things already - one of them being the way Ruby's feet were always sore after her long shifts and that a massage was always appreciated.

"Mmm, that feels good."

She continued to gently knead the foot resting on her lap, watching as Ruby's eyes closed and she slid further and further down in the chair - a relaxed and content look on her face. She squeezed the foot, raising it slightly from its place on her thigh. "Are you staying the night?"

A hazel eye opened, focusing on her. "Mhmm, I'm staying." Pulling her foot back and sitting up straighter she continued "Granny saw me leave with you so she won't worry."

Mary Margaret nodded. They still hadn't told Ruby's granny about their relationship, in fact they hadn't really told anyone besides Emma, but somehow they both suspected that she knew. The slightly threatening looks she'd bestowed upon Mary Margaret lately, paired with the pleased ones Ruby got when they hung out together gave the older woman away. They weren't worried about what her reaction would be, if she'd approve or not, they just felt like they should be more than sure before announcing to the world that they loved each other.

Love - a word none of them had dared to used yet, not even in the middle of the night, wrapped in silence, dusk and the safety of each others arms. The feeling was there, Mary Margaret was sure of it, but she had still to form those three precious words with her tongue, say them out loud while looking into Ruby's beautiful eyes. She felt ready, she had for the last couple of days. The toll of the week had made her realise that she missed Ruby every second they were apart and the nights she'd spent without the other woman she'd slept fitfully, feeling like something was missing - something important, something cherished, something... someone she loved.

Ruby's yawn brought her out of her thoughts.

"I see I'm not the only one who's beat. Ready for bed?"

Ruby nodded, then glanced at the mess on the table. "I'll clean this up tomorrow. I don't have to be at the diner until 11." She held her hand out for Mary Margaret to grasp hold of and together they made their way towards the bedroom to get settled for the night.

...

Lying in bed, the only light in the dark room provided by the moon, Ruby wrapped her arms around Mary Margaret, nuzzling her neck and placing featherlight kisses just above the neckline of her pyjama top. Her breath tickled Mary Margaret who giggled and squirmed slightly before settling comfortably on her side. She was so very tired and almost asleep when she heard the low whisper of Ruby's.

"What were you thinking about earlier? When you blushed?"

"Huh?" She opened her eyes and turned onto her back before her brain kicked in, finally realising what Ruby was asking. "Oh, I was thinking about you. About... us."

"So there is an us?" The wistful sound of Ruby's voice grabbed hold of Mary Margaret's heart and squeezed.

"Of course!" Mary Margaret twisted around to fully face Ruby. She placed a hand on a soft cheek, caressing Ruby's bottom lip with her thumb. "Of course there's an us. I... I..." She looked into Ruby's eyes and saw her own feelings reflected back at her. She let her joy show in a wide smile. "I love you Ruby."

Ruby's pensive expression transformed into one of pure happiness. They met halfway, heartfelt kisses only interrupted for a moment by Ruby's whispered words.

"Good, 'cause I love you too."


End file.
